Chinese, Italian nationals arrested over deadly Prato fire

Seven killed in garment-factory blaze

(ANSA) - Prato, March 20 - Italian police arrested a number
of people, both Chinese and Italian nationals, on Thursday over
a deadly blaze at a Chinese-owned garment factory.

Seven Chinese workers died while sleeping in the factory in
December and three others were injured.

In total five people were detained or put under house
arrest, ANSA sources said.

They could face charges that include multiple manslaughter.

Soon after the fire, investigators put four Chinese
nationals under investigation, three managers and the owner of
the plant.
The blaze sparked by stoves in a makeshift kitchen caused
the roof of the factory to cave in.

The case was seen as highlighting a high degree of
exploitation at Chinese-owned garment firms in Italy, especially
the Tuscan city of Prato.
According to the labour ministry, many of Prato's thousands
of Chinese textile workers reside and work in Italy illegally.

Officials have shut down 600 plants in the past four years
over infractions, and in the first nine months of 2013, 76% of
Prato's clothing factories were cited at some point.

Critics say it's easy for companies shut down by the
government to reopen under a different name without implementing
the proper changes.

According to the labour ministry, Prato hosts "many more"
undocumented workers than the average Italian city.